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Chapter 3: Discussions for Moving Forward

Summary:

Tempers have cooled, and Tanya and Rimuru get a chance to talk. Well, all tempers except one, that is. Important conversations are had, revelations are made, and Tempest gains two new residents. All in a days work.

Notes:

This is the last "prologue" chapter, with Tanya and Mary getting set up in the world of Tensura. There'll be more exposition by way of flashbacks later on, but after this the story basically starts for real.

Timeline wise, the "prologue" for this story takes place in the 3 month gap between the defeat of the Orc Disaster and King Gazel visiting Rimuru for the first time. Just so you know. Now, someone once said that Tensura is all about conferences and talking. In the spirit of that...

Enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

I'm a pacifist at heart. Humans killing other humans – sapient life killing other sapient life, it seems – is one of the worst aspects of life. Violence and emotion are the rule of beasts. Of course, humans came from beasts; we are not as far removed as we'd like to believe. In truth, I'd imagine monsters are much the same way. Possibly even more so, from what I've seen.

And me? Pacifist by desire, warrior by necessity. After all, the enemy does not hesitate to shoot on the battlefield. You can't expect humanitarianism in such a hellish place. Everyone should know that.

So, in order to survive, I adapted to my new world. I became a symbol. White Silver. Devil of the Rhine. Ace of Aces. Mad Dog. The veneer of the hard-working, war-skilled fool who wouldn't hesitate to rain fire on a city if it meant pleasing her superiors. I became the strongest individual war maniac at the head of a battalion of war maniacs, under the leadership of even more war maniacs. 

Ugh.

Now, don't mistake my distaste for guilt, or sorrow. I did what I had to do. My hands are grey at worst, and under the fog of war, grey might as well be as white as snow. Claims to the opposite are suspect at best.

-=-

Late Morning

Streets of Tempest

Tempest, Jura Tempest Alliance

"I'm new here, so this question may seem strange, but…" Tanya glanced around as they walked, taking in the bustling city around her. "Do monsters usually run cities in this world?"

"Or let humans live?" She wanted to tack on but decided against.

Most likely, it had something to do with this slime, Rimuru's past life. And given that Tanya didn't know whether or not these monster subordinates of Rimuru were aware of this past life, the smart thing would be to wait until it was just them to mention things like that.

Was Rimuru even from Japan? A Dragon Quest reference wasn't exactly exclusive to that region. Though, if Tanya were to go by typical isekai logic, there'd be no place other than Japan that Rimuru would have reincarnated from.

Given how atypical her own isekai experience had been thus far, basing decisions on such logic wasn't going to fly. No, it'd be best to find out personally.

"Not from what I'm aware of." Rimuru called over his shoulder. "Everyone is always so surprised to hear about us."

"I'd imagine they're more surprised that a slime is running the place. Are slimes sentient in this world naturally?"

"I'm not sure. Hakurou?"

"Lord Rimuru is the first sentient slime I've ever heard of." Hakurou stroked his beard. "It's quite remarkable."

Okay, so they definitely don't know he's a reincarnate. Or they're great actors. Always important to consider that.

"Well. There you have it." Rimuru laughed.

Though, with how relaxed and carefree Rimuru is, I don't believe that's the case. He seems too earnest. Not that I mind. I'd have to be an idiot not to notice how powerful he is, even with that suppressed aura and cutesy appearance. If anything, it'll make it easier to ingrain myself.

"Hm. What an interesting coincidence." Tanya would allow Rimuru to keep his secret. It's not like she ever told anyone in her second world about being a reincarnate.

"Right?"

"We're eternally grateful for that coincidence." Benimaru said, adjusting his grip on the unconscious and tied up Mary Sue in his arms. "It is by Lord Rimuru's will that we exist so freely and happily. I'm grateful."

"Aw, thanks Benimaru!" Rimuru put his hands behind his head. "I'm glad you guys are here too."

I think you're underestimating the devotion of your subordinate. Tanya sweatdropped. Benimaru has the same look in his eye that some of my more war-hungry subordinates did. It's the look of someone who'll go with you to conquer Hell if you asked. In other words, he's dangerous. I'll try to avoid him, I think.

"By the way, where are we heading exactly?"

"I'm glad you asked."

Rimuru stopped, gesturing forward with his head. Tanya looked, noting the surprisingly familiar architecture.

"We'll talk inside. But first, welcome to my home!"

"Ah." Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Nostalgic much?"

Rimuru simply smiled.

The Argent shook her head. "Well, at least it's humble. Alright, should we head in?"

Benimaru stopped them. "Ah wait, where should I put this person, Lord Rimuru?"

"Just on the porch is fine. Then you're free to go."

Benimaru sighed quietly in relief. It's not like the girl was heavy or anything, but the quicker he got away the more likely it'd be that he could avoid further punishment.

Carrying the unconscious teen had felt like punishment enough for his jumping the gun earlier, given how violently she'd thrashed and yelled the one time she woke up on the way back. Granted, he'd knocked her out relatively quickly, but it had been a harrowing 5 seconds, nonetheless.

It probably wasn't healthy for the girl to repeatedly be knocked unconscious. Tanya couldn't quite bring herself to care, an attitude that was largely reflected by Rimuru, Benimaru, and Hakurou. Besides, that's what healing potions were for.

"Oh, one more thing!"

The Kijin cursed under his breath.

"Don't forget to report to Shion for lunch today. I heard she's been dying to try out a new recipe."

If you looked up the phrase "dead man walking" in the dictionary, you'd likely see a picture of Benimaru's face in that exact moment.

Tanya made a mental note to never eat Shion's cooking, no matter the cost.

-=-=-=-

Around the Same Time

Council Chamber

Armed Nation of Dwargon

The room was dark, the only light coming from several lit candles on the council table.

Four figures sat around the table, shadows flickering across their faces. One, the obvious leader of the quartet, was reading a letter under the candlelight.

"Your Majesty, what does the report say?" One of the four spoke.

"Hm." Gazel Dwargo, the King of the Armed Nation of Dwargon, folded the letter and placed over the candle he had been reading it under. "The Orc Lord has been defeated."

"By who? What country has the might to dispatch it so quickly?"

Gazel stroked his beard with his other hand. "The term 'country' is not quite accurate. The report mentions sightings of Hobgoblins and a variation of Direwolves. Alongside four Kijin. All of which are subordinates of that slime."

"That slime?" The man to Gazel's left laced his fingers together. "You mean the one involved in Kaijin's trial?"

"Correct. It seems I was right in my initial assessment." The Dwargon King pulled his hand back as the last remains of the letter turned to ash. "That slime is one to look out for."

"What do you intend to do, Your Majesty?" The cloaked woman on Gazel's right said.

"Isn't it obvious?" He leaned back in his chair. "Soon, I'm going to view this slime's strength in person and uncover the truth of this matter myself."

-=-=-=-

Noon

Rimuru's Home (A simple name is just fine, Rigurd)

Tempest, Jura Tempest Alliance

"Oh! So this is your second reincarnation!?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Tanya glanced around. "Though this one has been much more pleasant so far. I haven't sat under a kotatsu in ages. And I haven't seen even a hint of Being X here."

"It's super satisfying, isn't it?" Rimuru leaned forward. "Kaijin – ah, he's a dwarven craftsmen under my employ – was able to make it pretty easily."

"And it uses magic to operate."

"That's right! How'd you know?"

"There's no electricity here, from what I've seen." Tanya gave Rimuru a look. "And I can feel it with Magic Sense."

Notice: the individual "Tanya von Degurechaff" is correct-

I get it I get it! It was a dumb question, you don't have to rub it in! Rimuru shook his head, not noticing Tanya's curious expression at the motion. I'm just excited to meet someone else from modern Japan here, okay?

Notice: Understood.

"Do you remember the year you reincarnated?"

Tanya crossed her arms. "It's been a while now. It was near the end of 2013, I do remember."

"Whoa!" Rimuru's eyebrows shot up. "Me too!"

"You shouldn't be so excited about us dying in the same year."

Rimuru chose to ignore that. "For me, it was in early 2013!"

Tanya blinked. "Really? Before me?"

"I was stabbed in the back in the middle of a busy sidewalk." Rimuru continued, pointing at his side. "The next thing I knew, there was this voice in my head talking about 'Skills' and such."

"What was your name, by chance?"

"Ah, my name was Satoru Mikami."

Tanya was silent for a moment.

"…You were the victim of the Runaway Stabbing Incident?"

Now it was Rimuru's turn to blink in surprise.

Eh?

"Is that what they called it? Er, wait, that means we're from the same Japan?!"

"It appears so." Tanya's brow furrowed. "But why did Being X show up for me and not for you? Furthermore, why did I appear here the second time I died?"

Great Sage, do you have any idea why Tanya's reincarnation was different?

Answer: Insufficient data. Suggestion: Ask more about this "Being X" so an appropriate hypothesis may be formed.

Well, alright then.

"By the way, who's this Being X character? You mentioned him earlier."

"Geh." Tanya looked like she'd swallowed a lemon.

"That bad, huh?"

"Let me put it this way: Being X is the worst sort of individual. A childish, unreasonable devil claiming at God who forced me into another world out of some petty desire to make me worship him. That's the politest way I can put it." Tanya sighed. "In any case, he's the reason for most of my suffering over the years, interfering with 'miracles' and inciting war just to spite me."

Rimuru tilted his head. "So, he has the ability to reincarnate people into other worlds, yet he spared no expense in tormenting you. Sounds like a real bastard."

"He's the reason I'm a woman instead of a man, and he's the reason I was forced to fight through years of world war. 'Real bastard' is wholly accurate, if a bit lenient."

"You mentioned 'world war'. Like, did Being X send you back in time?" Rimuru paused, "Uh, sent you back in time to another world that had magic, I guess."

"How much do you know about our original's world's European history?"

"Not very much." The slime admitted.

He had always been more interested in manga and video games than history class. Though, he could tell you everything you needed to know about elves from multiple different sources of media. Including the game that had him telling his coworker to destroy his computer, but that wasn't important right now.

"Then I'll give you the abbreviated version." Tanya took a deep breath. "I was born again under the banner of the Germanian Empire with the name Tanya Degurechaff. The Empire, as it was called, was of one of the Great Powers of the world, with a military that was likely the greatest of the world. In 1923, we were-"

Rimuru turned back to Great Sage as Tanya continued.

Come up with anything yet?

Answer: The being known as "Being X" reportedly holds some powers over reincarnation. Hypothesis: Being X is a minor deity whose influence partially intersects with that of various versions of the world 'Earth'. As such, it is likely that the case of Tanya von Degurechaff was merely an outlet for divine frustration.

So, it's like some divine coincidence? Yeesh, talk about unfair. Rimuru glanced over at Tanya, who seemed to be nearing the end of her explanation. Er, you were listening to all of that, right?

Answer: Correct. Tanya von Degurechaff's Tragic Backstory has been catalogued for later review.

Ah, that's good.

"The next thing I remember was a bright light-"

"One question."

Tanya paused, then motioned for him to continue.

Rimuru glanced at the doorway meaningfully. "How does she, Mary, fit into all this?"

It was silent for a moment.

"You weren't listening."

It wasn't a question.

"No, no, I was!"

"Really?" Tanya raised a challenging eyebrow. "Then what's the name of Mary Sue's father?"

"It- uh, that is to say, it's,"

Great Sage, help me out here!

Answer: Mary Sue's father is named Anson Sue. He fought against Tanya von Degurechaff a total of-

That's enough, thank you!

"His name is Anson. Anson Sue."

Hmph.

Hm? Did you say something Great Sage?

Answer: No.

"So maybe you were listening." Tanya's expression did not match her words.

"You don't believe me." He deadpanned.

"You know, Mary was one of the few mages to ever give me trouble on the battlefield." Tanya glanced outside. "Indeed, she was the only mage who could consistently give me trouble at my peak."

"Okay, I guess we're moving on then." Rimuru sweatdropped, before leaning forward. "So, how did she manage that?"

Tanya scoffed. "She didn't. In all honesty, Mary was a terrible soldier. Inefficient, illogical, tactically incompetent, a terrible shot. The only thing she had going for her was that her base mana potential was S-grade. Even with that, the only reason she could compete with me equally was because of Being X's interference."

She frowned at that.

"I'm not sure of the specifics. But what I know for a fact is that between our first and second meetings, Mary had somehow gained the ability to surpass an S-grade level of mana. With the Type 95 operating on full, I was still superior, but she was still the only mage at a near enough level. And her being at that level meant I was the only one who could fight her."

She let that statement sink in.

"So, whenever she showed up, no matter what was going on you had to-"

Tanya nodded.

"That…" Rimuru leaned back, trying to think of a tactical way to respond. "…must have really sucked."

Internally, he panicked.

That was so insensitive!

Luckily, Tanya seemed to take it in stride. She chuckled.

"That is an apt descriptor of the situation. In fact, our second meeting took place at the tail end of a battle that had at that point gone on for 18 hours." Tanya went on, still keeping her gaze on the doorway. "At the end of the battle, I shot her 5 times at close range with my Luger. One of them went through the middle of her chest. I imagine it only barely missed her heart." She shook her head, "And yet she survived and continued to pester me up until my second death. I don't know if anyone else could have survived that. Not in that world at least."

5 times? And this was after they'd fought a while. That's crazy!

"Rimuru, are you alright with this?"

What? Rimuru blinked. "What do you mean?"

Tanya sighed.

"I'm telling you about war. Real war. Humans duking it out to see who can waste the highest number of resources in the shortest amount of time. The worst invention of humanity- well, of sapient races, I suppose. From what I understand, you've had a much more peaceful isekai experience than I. Do you take issue with what I've mentioned? I don't have any problems with what I've done, but I recognize that others do not view things the way I do. It's a lesson I've been forced to learn time and again."

Rimuru thought about it for a minute.

"I mean, sure it's bad and all, but," He began, crossing his arms. "I've had to kill here as well you know. Recently, we fought against a Demon Lord Seed called the Orc Disaster. He caused a lot of destruction of pain, but he was also just trying to look out for his people. And I devoured him, and his sins along with. Sometimes, you have to look out for yourself and yours, yeah? Even if the other side feels the same way."

Tanya was quiet.

"You say that now, but I wonder if you'll feel the same when it's a human enemy."

"Huh?"

"Monsters and humans don't naturally get along. At least, not commonly. And here you are with this bustling city of monsters, yet not a single one of them regarded me with anything beyond mild curiosity. So, I have to wonder if you're letting your bias show, Rimuru. At your core, you still think of yourself as human, don't you?"

"I-"

"Well, in any case I'm not here to psychoanalyze. I'm sure you have your own justifications for doing things, just as I have mine."

It certainly feels that way! Rimuru mentally exclaimed. Is she right though? I think the last time I was this confused was when I'd first reincarnated and didn't know how to move!

Tanya slowly pulled her legs from under the kotatsu and got up.

Rimuru snapped from his daze. "Ah, Tanya? Where are you going?"

"Hm?" Tanya glanced at him. "Mary is awake again. Has been for a while now. She's stewed long enough, I think, so I believe it's time I discuss something with her. If that's alright with you."

"Oh, yeah sure." Rimuru spread his senses outside with Magic Sense, noting that yes, Mary had indeed awoken and was struggling very angrily against her bonds. Not that it mattered; she had no chance of breaking Rimuru's Sticky Thread wrap. "Just ah…"

How was Rimuru supposed to say "please don't kill your hated enemy" without sounding ridiculous?

Tanya paused in the doorway. "I'm not going to kill her."

Is she a mind reader? Rimuru narrowed his eyes. Tanya, why did the chicken cross the road?

Tanya did not respond. Either she wasn't secretly a mind reader, or she was smart enough not to make it known.

Notice: The likelihood of Tanya von Degurechaff possessing a Skill capable of reading others' thoughts is extremely low.

Well, there's some hope at least.

Rimuru really didn't need Tanya knowing exactly how often he thought about elf girls. Or more specifically, E.I.L.F.'s-

"Rimuru?" Tanya glanced back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, sorry! Yeah, go ahead. We can talk about your living arrangements afterwards."

"Living arrangements?" Tanya blinked. "Alright then. This won't take long anyway."

-=-

"Okay, Mary Sue. Are we going to talk like civilized people, or are you going to forever snap at my heels like an irate dog?"

"How dare you talk about civilized, you Devil!" Mary thrashed in her bonds, nearly toppling over.

-=-

Art by Me (@tanjaded)

-=-

Tanya shook her head. "Funny how you say that, yet you're the one they were forced to tie up."

"I hate you!" Mary spat.

Literally. It missed, given her awkward position, but the attempt was there.

She slumped back against the front wall of Rimuru's house, hatred contorting her expression.

"Tell me something I don't know." Tanya rolled her eyes. "It's a waste a time to continue like this, so I'll just cut to my point right away. Why do you hate me so deeply? Specifically, I mean."

"Don't play dumb with me! You destroyed my homeland! You killed my father!"

"The Empire destroyed your homeland. Which invaded us first might I add. Meanwhile, I was just along for the ride, doing my job as a soldier." Tanya tilted her head. "Just like you, actually. After all, you've killed 4 of my subordinates since we first met."

"That's-" Mary blinked, momentarily taken aback. "That isn't the same!"

"Sorry, but you don't get to say that. It isn't the same? Those men were my brothers. My comrades-in-arms, the closest thing to family an orphan like me had." Tanya faked a threatening step forward, then stopped as though she had only just remembered where she was. She breathed in deeply, holding it for several long moments, then letting it out through clenched teeth.

I should win an Oscar for this.

"From what I've gathered, you seem to have this conflated sense of importance about yourself and your father. But you're nothing more than a mage with an above-average level of mana. A tool of a self-proclaimed God. A tool with a sharper blade than most admittedly, but a tool all the same."

The Argent crossed her arms.

"You're also a shit soldier. And while your father was formidable, and though I'm sure you'll tell me he was a great man who didn't deserve his fate, he was also just another soldier. At the end of the day, we were on opposite sides of the war. There is no such thing as humanitarianism on the battlefield. He did not hesitate to try and strike me down, and I responded in kind."

"I- no, you killed him!" Mary's shoulders trembled, her face shadowed. "God won't let you-"

"Wake up, Mary Sue!"

Mary froze.

"This isn't a fictional story from your hypocritical religion. This is real life, so it's about time you open your eyes and see the world in the shades of grey it actually is rather than the stark black and white you stubbornly insist on."

Fuck, she's got her head so stuck in the sand she might as well be a crab. Being X, your influence will never fail to piss me off. It's so blatantly obvious just how badly Sue was poisoned by him. She's a victim of his irrationality just like her father. And me. I have every right to hate her, and to an extent, I do. But... I understand her position, somewhat. We were on opposite sides in both war and ideals. Our only option was to fight. 

"By the way." Tanya paused.

But that option doesn't need to exist here. We're free from his influence. So, I think I'll treat this a bit more sympathetically. 

"You should know that I didn't actually kill your father."

"Huh!?" Mary's head snapped up, disbelief and anger clear in equal measures. "You damn- don't try to twist things!"

"No. I need you to really listen to me this time." Tanya looked away, "Ugh... please."

Mary's vitriol froze in her throat. 

"I tried to tell you before, but you would never listen, always prattling on about 'God' this and 'vengeance' that. Well, here's the truth you probably never wanted to hear: during a battle, Anson Sue overloaded his computation orb and blew himself up in an attempt to take my life. You don't have to believe me, but it's the truth."

"You- you're a liar!"

"Oh, am I? I don't think so." Tanya gestured vaguely to the side, "Why would I lie to you right now? We died. Congratulations, Mary Sue. You won."

"Don't patronize me. This is just some trick, isn't it?"

"Use your brain for once and save me some trouble. I could have just killed you again, but here we are having this discussion." Tanya gave her an annoyed look. "If you really want to talk about tricks, how about I point out the fact that your commander, Lieutenant Colonel Drake, knew the truth behind your father's death the whole time. Awfully ironic, when you think about it."

Mary tensed up, eye widening in disbelief.

Tanya nodded.

"Yes, I'm sorry to say it's true. It was his uncle that led that attack on my battalion, after all. The one your that your father took part in. And died in." She let that sink in a moment, noting the slight shake to Mary's expression. "That's right. Isn't that the worst part? Instead of going to be with his family, Anson Sue decided that trying to kill me was far more important. Then a year or so later, you come along and join an international mage volunteer group led by Lieutenant Colonel Drake, who would certainly have known of your father's fate. Especially once he learned about you in particular."

The best part of all this was that Tanya didn't have to lie at all. Everything she'd said thus far had been true, as far as she was aware. And really, it was a simple jump in logic to assume that Drake and his uncle had talked about Anson Sue. The fact of the matter is, Anson Sue's death more than likely led to Mary Sue's placement on the younger Drake's mage group. That was just a common sense assumption, considering everything else.

"I wonder if you suspected as much? It doesn't matter. Not anymore at least. Oh, but I don't think you should blame your father or anything. Really, you should be blaming Being X, that God you're so fond of singing praises for. It was his influence that drove your father to attack me. Like father like daughter, I guess."

"Shut up." Mary muttered.

"Oh sorry, did I touch a nerve?" She definitely had.

"Shut up!"

"Fine. Just think about it for a while." Tanya turned and made to walk away, leaving the other woman to stew in her emotions for a bit. "If nothing else, please think thoroughly about the fact that you've died, and instead of finding yourself in Heaven, you ended up in another world. With me. Ciao."

Tanya left her then, noting the sound of a body slumping over.

And also crying. Very angry crying.

I might feel bad for anyone else… no, that's a lie. The truth should be hidden or altered occasionally, but certainly not to spare feelings. And I definitely still dislike her. She embodies so many things that I can't stand. Prioritizing emotion over reason, touting praises for that abusive Devil claiming to be God... but she's still a victim of circumstance. It's likely that without Being X's influence, our conflict would have never come to pass. Or at the very least, Mary wouldn't have survived our first encounter.

She paused in the doorway, sparing a final glance backwards. Almost as an afterthought, Tanya threw a mild sound-targeting interference spell over the doorway. No need to hear those angry tears while she was in the midst of an important discussion.

At this point, killing her gains me nothing. Vengeance is a fool's errand; I would find little to no satisfaction in her death. Not anymore. And besides...

Tanya suppressed a smirk.

Mary has the potential to be very useful to me. It'd be a waste for her to die. Resources should be cultivated rather than wasted, after all. It's one of the reasons I hate war so much. Waste is counterproductive to a rational, functioning society. So, I refuse to let Mary be wasted. Not when she's such a potentially useful human resource. Aren't I such a good person, saving her from the corrupted mentality inflicted by Being X?

She paused, her eyes widening slightly as she slammed the mental brakes at that.

Whoa, hold on a minute. Time to tone down the god complex. It's dangerous to think so arrogantly. Let's step back from that mild case Machiavellian of philosophy and take more calm, rational approach to this, shall we? Mary has the potential to be useful, but only if she allows herself to be. I'll start there. I've already planted the seeds of doubt. Let's see how this next part plays out.

Outright manipulation left a bad taste in her mouth after Being X's years of bastardized interference. Besides, it'd be much easier if Mary convinced herself.

I wonder what this world has in store. Ah, it's a shame, really. I'd built up so much capital in the last world, and now I have to start all over again. Being X hasn't shown up, so that's a plus. But still… I wonder how Visha, Weiss, and the others are doing? I'm not one to dwell on sentimentality, but honestly, I think I'll…

Tanya mentally shook herself.

Well, even if I miss them, they're gone. No reason to agonize over the things you can't change. Just move forward now. Ever forward. Let's see just how far we can go in this world.

-=-=-=-

Meanwhile...

Winter

Kruskos Army Air Corps Testing Lab

Southwest of Berun, Empire

"Achoo!"

"Bless you." Weiss blew into his hands, fingers of cold still lingering despite his gloves. "My, is someone talking about you Lieutenant? I think- ah, achoo!"

Visha wiped her nose with a handkerchief. "Well, if they are then they must be talking about you too."

"You think?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, who would be talking about the both of us? You think the Brass wants to send us out again?"

Visha glanced inside the Lab's main warehouse, noting the activity and construction being done. Whatever they were working on, it was big. And shiny, though she imagined that would go away after a few tests.

"…Maybe. Though if anyone were to be talking about the both of us, my first guess would have been-"

She cut herself off. Weiss sighed.

"Yeah, that was my first thought as well."

~END: NEW BEGINNINGS ARC~

-=-=-=-=-=-

Known Skills List

Tanya:

Extra Skill: Magic Sense

Extra Skill: Magic Aura

Extra Skill: Voice of the World Communication

Unique Skill: Formulaic Casting

Unique Skill: Tetrabattery Limit Enhancement

Mary:

Skills Unknown

Notes:

Mages in Youjo Senki are generally classified as C-, B-, or A- grade mages based on their affinity and the amount of mana they have. The terminology changes depending on which base material you look at, but these are the terms I'll be using. Mary is classified as an S-grade here because she's shown to have a way above normal amount of mana to throw around (especially in the movie). And since Tanya normally is A-grade (or high B-grade I honestly don't remember, I just go with A-grade), she herself (and me obviously) classifies Mary at an S-grade here. Again, depending on the source material, Mary's high mana output is either natural or the unintentional result of three Being X miracles.

Also, regarding the timelines of Rimuru and Tanya's reincarnation, the original Tensura webcomic started publishing in 2013, and the first Youjo Senki LN (in Japanese) was published in 2013. So, that's what I'm going off of, not that it matters beyond the one-off joke.

Also also, about Mary's skills from her reincarnation... I have plot related points around them. I can't go revealing my cards early on, can I? So, I'll keep them under wraps for a little while longer. Or maybe she doesn't have any?

Nah that was a joke, she does have Skills of her own. Someone commented about her maybe not getting any, and I almost went forward with it. But I ultimately decided against it. What was that thing writers on fanfiction dot net would to say? "If you guess right, you get a cookie" or something like that. Well, it'd be interesting to see if anyone could randomly guess correctly Mary's Skills, but I don't have any virtual cookies to hand out sorry to say. An art piece maybe. Whatever.

And hey, thanks for reading!